Basket and shaft structure for clothes washing machines



April 11, 1950 2,503,433

F. BRECKENRIDGE AND SHAFT STRUCTURE FOR CLOTHES WASHING MACHINES Filed Jan. 24, 1945 Fla. 2.

WITNESSES:

INVENTOR FRn NK BRECKENRIDGE Lav/WM ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 11, 1950 BASKET AND sum STRUCTURE Fort CLOTHES WASHING MACHINES Frank Breckenridge, Mansfield, Ohio, asslgnor to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application January 24, 1945, Serial No. 57 4,268 3 Claims. (Cl. 68-140) My invention relates to washing apparatus, more particularly to rotatable basket structures for such apparatus, and has for an object to provide an improved structure of this kind.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved basket structure of the type set forth having a clothes container with a baked finish on substantially all surfaces thereof and a shaft carrying said container.

Astill further object of the invention is to provide improved means for securing a finished driving shaft to a sheet metal clothes container having a baked vitreous enamel finish on substantially all surfaces thereof.

These and other objects are effected by my invention as will be apparent from the following description and claims taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this application, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical section through one form of washing machine having a clothes containing basket structure constructed and. arranged in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a section taken along the line II]I of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of a portion of Fig. 1.

Reference will now be had to the drawing wherein I have elected to show my invention applied to a washing machine of the type disclosed in my Patent No. 2,296,258, granted September 22, 1942. This form of washing machine includes a tub I which is generally of frusto-conical configuration and which encloses a rotatable basket H of similar configuration. The tub l0 may be supported in any well-known manner, and since the supporting means forms no part of the present invention, it has not been shown for the sake of clearness and brevity. The tub l0 includes a front wall Ilia having an access opening I 2 therein, which access opening is closed by a suitable hinged, gasketed door It. The tub includes a rear wall It having a cylindrical sleeve l5 extending rearwardly therefrom and defining the support for a pair of axially spaced bearings, one of which is shown at It. The sleeve l5 also supports, at its inner end, conventional water and oil seals |6a and |6b, respectively. The bearings l6 rotatably support the shaft H which carries the basket II. The shaft I1 is rotatable about an oblique axis by means of a pulley l8 which may be belted to a driving mechanism, such as an electric motor (not shown).

During the washing of the fabrics, the basket II is rotated by the shaft H at a speed of approximately 50 R. P. M. for tumbling the fabrics in a body of washing water contained within the tub l0, whereby a cleansing action is effected, as is well understood. In this connection, a plurality of vanes l9 extend inwardly of the basket for assisting the tumbling of the fabrics. The basket may also be rotated at a relatively high speed of, for example, 500 R. P. M. for centrifuging cleaning fluid from the fabrics.

The basket I| includes a side wall 2| which carries the aforementioned vanes I9 and a front wall 22, the latter having an access opening 23 formed therein which registers with the access opening l2 of the tub. It will be understood that substantially the entire side wall 2| is perforate, a number of perforations being shown at 24. The basket 2| includes a ire-entrant end wall 25 and inner and outer bracing partitions 26 and 21, respectively, which are welded adjacent their peripheries within the re-entrant end wall 25 and to spaced portions thereof. The inner partition 26 is provided with a threaded recess 28 and'the outer partition 21 has an opening 29 formed in the center thereof in alignment with the recess 28. Both the recess 28 and opening 29 are arranged coaxially of the basket The bracing partition 21 is preferably embossed to provide ribs 3| for strengthening the partition 21 (see Fig. 2).

For sanitary reasons and for the sake of appearance, as well as to prevent rusting, all surfaces of the basket II that are subjected to cleaning fluid are coated with a baked finish such as vitreous enamel. This finish, as is well understood, is applied by dipping in an enamel dip, then allowing the excess liquid to drain off and, finally, firing or baking the enamel at a relatively high temperature of, for example, 1550 F. in a furnace.

Difficulty has been experienced, heretofore, in constructing a vitreous enamel basket with its driving shaft |1 rigidly fixed thereto. It is not practical to fix the shaft to the basket prior to enamelingas the highly finished or ground shaft will scale after being subjected to the high furnace temperature. Finishing or grinding of the shaft subsequent to firing of the enameled basket is impractical as the vitreous finish on the tub is fragile and may crack if handled during the final machining of the shaft. Furthermore, if this method is effected, high air pressures between the partitions 26 and 21 are developed in the firing operation and may distort or damage the basket, it being understood that the partitions are imperforate except for the shaft-receiving recess 28 and opening 29. It is preferable that the partitions 26 and 21 are imperforate in 3 a order to prevent the collection of cleaning fluid therebetween. Otherwise, fluid between the partitions 26 and 21 may not readily drain at the conclusion of a washing operation and would, therefore, become the source of objectionable odors.

In enameling the basket, it is preferable that all surfaces of the basket and its bracing partitions be enameled. However, the threads in the recess should not be fouled with enamel which would prevent the threading of the shaft therein. A plug is, therefore, threaded in the opening prior to dipping the basket. After dipping, the plug may be removed before or after firing. Also, enamel is wiped from the opening 23 in the partition 21 and from that portion of the outer surface of the partition immediately adjacent the opening, prior to firing, so as to provide a nonenameled surface on the partition 21 which is welded to the shaft [1, as described hereinafter. It is not necessary that the opposed faces of the re-entrant end wall 25 and the partition 21 be vitreous enameled because these faces are notsubjected to the washing fluid. If these faces are not to be enameled, a plug may be inserted in the opening 29 in partition 21 during the dipping operation, which plug is removed prior to firing. Accordingly, the surface defining the opening 23 is free of enamel,- but it may be necessary to wipe the portion of the partition 21 immediately ad-.

jacent the opening 29 for the welding operation mentioned heretofore.

After firing, the basket I I and the finished shaft I l are assembled. The shaft IT is inserted through the opening 29 and threaded in the recess 28. Preferably, the threads in the recess are tapered slightly and flutes 32 are cut in the shaft H, which flutes 32 form cutting edges which function as a tap as the shaft I1 is threaded in the recess 28. Accordingly, when the shaft is forced to its proper position relative the basket II, a very tight fit is provided between the shaft and the partition 26. The shaft I1 is then welded, as'shown at 33, to the wiped portion of the partition 21. A very rigid structure is thereby provided which effectively resists distortion of the basket end wall 25 during operation of the basket. When operated as a centrifuge, the end wall 25 of the basket is subjected to heavy strains if an unbalanced load of wet clothing is within the basket and it is necessary that the end wall be rigidly braced. This is particularly so where a vitreous coating is provided on the basket and its end wall.

In order to protect and isolate the weld 33 from the cleaning fluid, a covering is provided therefor and this covering preferably includes an annular ferrule 35 tightly fitting the shaft l1 and forcing a resilient ring 36 of rubber, or the like, into engagement with the partition 21 whereby a watertight seal around the weld 33 is defined. The ferrule 35 is welded or otherwise secured to a stainless steel band 38 which is pressed on the shaft and which is engaged by the water seal lia during operation of the machine.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that I have provided an improved rotor construction for a washing machine, including a sheet metal basket having a baked finish and a machined shaft, which rotor is of strong construction to resist the forces developed therein during operation and which resists the corrosive effect of the detergent fluids to which it is subjected. The finishing or grinding of the shaft before assembly to the basket substantially reduces the total cost 4 of the assembly. The described method of constructing and finishing the basket and shaft assembly makes its possible to maintain close tolerances and eliminates distortion of the assembly, two features which have been dimcult to attain in prior art structures known to me.

While I have described the invention applied to a washing machine basket movable about an oblique axis, it will be apparent that the invention may be employed equally well in basket constructions for horizontal or vertical axis machines.

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof.

What I claim is:

1. In a washing machine basket and a shaft construction for containing fabrics to be washed and movable angularly within a tub about an axis, the combination of a side wall disposed about said axis, an end wall structure supporting the side wall and having a tapped recess formed therein axially of the basket, a partition arranged exteriorly of the basket and secured adjacent its periphery to the'outer side of said end wall structure, said partition having its center portion axially spaced from said tapped-recess and provided with an opening axially aligned with said tapped recess, a shaft extending through said opening and threaded in the recess, a weld securing the shaft to said partition peripherally of said opening and a baked, protective coating applied to all surfaces of said side wall, said end wall structure and said partition which are exposed to the ambient atmosphere.

2. In a washing machine basket and shaft construction for containing fabrics to be washed and movable angularly about an axis, the combination of a side wall structure disposed about said axis, a re-entrant end wall supporting the side wall structure, inner and outer partitions disposed exteriorly of the basket and secured, respectively, at their outer peripheries to spaced portions of the outer side of the re-entrant end wall, said inner partition having a threaded recess centrally disposed therein and axially of the basket and said outer partition having an opening therein axially aligned with said recess, a shaft extending through said opening and threaded in the recess, a weld securing said shaft to the outer partition peripherally of the opening therein, and a baked, protective coating covering the surfaces of said side wall structure, the re-entrant end wall and said outer partition which are exposed to the ambient atmosphere.

3. The combination as claimed in claim 2 including means carried by the shaft for enclosing said weld and including a ring of resilient material engaging said outer partition member and defining a watertight connection therewith.

FRANK BRECKENRIDGE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,296,258 Breckenridge Sept. 22, 1942 2,281,407 Bohnsack Apr. 28, 1942 2,309,940 Douglas Feb. 2, 1943 2,343,743 Breckenridge Mar. 7, 1944 2,356,818 Bruckman Aug. 29, 1944 

